By Dayo Awoniyi
Nigerian footballer Mfon Udoh narrowly escaped death on Thursday, July 3, after being involved in a serious car accident in Ibeno Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
The 33-year-old striker, who has represented Nigeria at the international level and made his mark as one of the most prolific scorers in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), was rescued by friends who arrived at the crash site shortly after the incident.
Eyewitnesses described the crash as “horrific,” with Udoh’s vehicle badly mangled.
Despite the extent of the damage, Udoh survived with no life-threatening injuries.
The former Akwa United and Enyimba FC forward, who still holds the NPFL record for most goals in a single season and was the top scorer in the 2016 CAF Champions League with nine goals, expressed his gratitude on social media.
He posted a chilling video of the wreckage and thanked God for sparing his life.
“This is nothing short of a miracle,” he wrote.
The accident comes as the Nigerian football community continues to mourn the loss of legendary Super Eagles goalkeeper Peter Rufai, who passed away just a day before the incident.
Fans, fellow players, and clubs have taken to social media to celebrate Udoh’s survival, with many calling it a sign of divine intervention.
As of press time, details about Udoh’s medical condition remain limited, though sources close to him say he is stable and recovering.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
